Playing a
role in job creation on
the continent
JOY ORLEK
THE LANGUAGE barrier is just one of the challenges facing Fruimark, which has established a lucrative niche in the supply of turnkey dairy processing equipment into Africa.
This involves not only the provision of raw materials but also the training and ongoing technical back-up, which is fairly straightforward when you speak the same language. But getting the message across to a French-speaking customer in Libreville posed more than its fair share of problems recently. “I sat down with a French - English dictionary and translated the recipe book verbatim,” says general manager Stephan Steyn. “Once they had the method and the recipe, it was plain sailing for them.”
And these are the kind of challenges on which Steyn thrives, deriving the greatest satisfaction from setting up processing plants in remote regions and knowing that he’s playing a role in job creation on the continent.
Fruimark currently exports to 18 countries in Africa and is constantly expanding its reach.
Thanks to forwarders Freight Management, transport logistics poses few problems, says Steyn, with the goods generally moving by air, sea or road without any hassles.
